Python as first language (Re: static variables?)

[Brian Quinlan]

Hung Jung Lu wrote:
> Sorry for digressing, but this reminds me of an old debate on whether
> Python is suitable as the first language to teach.
> 
> Well, the thing is that Python works with "name binding". And the
> concepts of name spaces, name binding, objects, mutability, etc. are
> just a bit non-obvious. Once a person understands these things, or if
> a person knows about pointers, hashmaps and memory structure,
> everything becomes clear. But for someone not familiar with either of
> these sets of concepts, Python can be hard to explain.

I think that the conceptual problem that people have with assignment
being a binding operation is that they are used to names labeling some
sort of memory mailbox. 

If you had not preconceived notion of what "names" mean then you might
have fewer problems.

Cheers,
Brian